From The Side Of The Innocent
by ShadowChik
Summary: In Ascension I, They show Jean's reaction the the professor being Lost. Kitty's view of the Ascension series finale. [COMPLETE]
1. Helpless

**.From The Side Of The Innocent.**

_During Ascension I, they show Jean's reaction to the Professor being "destroyed". But no one else's. This is Kitty's reaction to the "end" and the hopelessness of that episode._

I watched as the horrific sight unfolded before me. Apocalypse's energy focused on the professor's body. Stunning me and stealing my breath away, I saw the end. Professor gasped his last breath before light swirled around him, summoning him elsewhere. Then, both he and Storm were gone.

I gasped. Where they had been floating in mid-air, there was nothing. I felt Rouge shift behind me. Jean sobbed and ran from the room, Scott following quickly after. But I couldn't. My face was transfixed toward the screen.

_Professor Xavier… Gone…No…What?_ My mind thought wildly. _It can't be! Our mentor, our savior, lost in the churning oblivion. _Seeing him gone so fast, it seemed that our fate had already been sealed. We had no chance without him and Storm.

My breathing became short and shallow. I stumbled forward and grasped the back of Mr. McCoy's chair. _Gone…It cannot be! _My mind spun, incapable of forming another conscious thought.

Mr. McCoy slowly turned. "Kitty?", He asked slowly, in an even tone.

I couldn't answer. I still watched the blank screen, bidding it to give me answers.

"Kitty?" He inquired again, grasping my hand and pulling it off of the chair. "It will be alright. Do you hear me, Kitty? Everything will be fine."

I pulled away with a power that I wasn't sure I had. That I didn't think I wanted at the moment. My hand slid through his, becoming icy cold.

"How is everything going to be fine again?" I hissed in a moment of insanity. "They're GONE! Both of them!" I screamed into the metal room. The echo chilled me to the bone, making everything, if possible, more real.

"Kitty!" The teacher sounded more than surprised at my less than positive and perfect response.

I couldn't always be that though. Not when my world is crashing down around me. I cared too much. I was in too much shock.

Suddenly, I had no energy left. Tears flowing down my cheeks, I let my arms fall to my sides. I was defeated. I couldn't do anything, not a thing, to bring them back. None of us could. No matter how much we wanted.

My head spun and my vision darkened. I closed my eyes. I couldn't deal with this anymore. Without realizing it, I welcomed the darkness and sunk to the ground. I was drawn toward nothingness. But I had no memory of this. I only knew that it was warm and inviting. 


	2. Saved From Myself

I gained consciousness before I even opened my eyes. I remembered nothing. I slowly peeked out from under my lashes, and it all came back.

I gasped and sat quickly upright. I was still on the floor, but surrounded by people. By the computer, Logan was talking to an official looking man. Mr. McCoy was pulling up pictures of the pyramids. Those blasted pyramids. Our Downfall. 

I felt anger burn inside me. I struggled to get off of the ground, but two sets of arms contained me. I wriggled around and came face to face with Rouge and Kurt. My best friends. I glared at them, and continued to struggle against their restraining hands. I didn't even think to use my power. How could they do this to me? It was a betrayal. 

 I stopped struggling, my strength spent. Tears burned at the back of my eyes, threatening to spill forth. I blinked them back as the arms dropped to their sides. Kurt held out a blue furry hand. I ignored it and pushed myself off of the cold, steel ground.

"I'm sorry, Keety", Kurt apologized in a soft voice. He looked toward the floor. "But ve had to".

Rouge nodded in agreement, pulling at her gloves. "We couldn't let you hurt your self or anyone else. That is not need right now", her accent seeming sharper that usual. I searched her face with my eyes, but I couldn't find a clue. Maybe this was hurting her as much as it was hurting me. Nothing gave way though. 

I turned toward the large computer screen, watching the "sentinels" and trying to seem like I was listening to the long winded explanation. But I wasn't. My insides twisted and turned inside me, knowing what was coming, and seeing my professor and Storm fighting against us. A prophecy, it seemed. A Foreshadowing.

"Shadowcat," Logan walked to me, "Get the brotherhood." I nodded in comprehension, seeming braver than I was…or at least I hoped so. All I needed now was to have a nice long conversation with Lance. Great.

Everyone with their orders, we filed out of the cold room. I put on my everyday clothes and ran through the door of the mansion. I was pretending that it was all up to me. I needed to feel important. I needed the strength, but that part of me had all but given up.


	3. We March

The door slammed in my face. I blinked. How could he refuse to help? All of our lives hung in the balance. Without help, there was no hope. We would not stand by and watch, but stride into battle seeing nothing but death and destruction. 

I strode down the drive way and crossed the street. I started to shake. We were done for. The realization hit me like Apocalypse's power. Nothing could save us now. I screamed in anger and agony, my optimistic ways forgotten. This was the day. The day we couldn't save our people, which we had worked so hard to protect.

I cursed everyone. I blamed everyone. I was the only one who wouldn't use their power for bad, but I was the one who suffered. It all came back to me. It always does.

I heard a rattling behind me. I turned around. Through the door came the scarlet witch. She strode forward, toward me, without a backward glance at the Brotherhood. Their faces stared bewildered through the filthy windows.

She stopped so that we were looking at each other eye to eye. 

"I want you to understand", she started slowly, "That I'm not doing this for you. I need to fight my father." She inhaled deeply and waited to see what my answer would be.

I nodded, offering a gloomy smile. "We aren't doing this for us either. We're doing this for them", I spread my arms and gestured toward the neighboring houses. "Their survival depends on us, there's nothing they can do now. Nothing." 

I was shocked at myself. Nothing held an air of finality that I didn't mean to put there. It settled itself there, pleased with the destruction of the human race.

Wanda nodded sadly. "It's up to us", she agreed, walking ahead of me. "Everything".

I started a jog toward the mansion, trying to fill my head with thoughts of happier times. But the sound of our footsteps packed into my ears. Reminding me of an already defeated army, Marching toward our dooms. Unaware, and unready.


	4. Shadows of Time

I sat in the pilot's seat of one of the X-Jets. I flipped the certain switches, going into my smooth, almost automatic movements. Sunspot sat beside me, Angel and The Scarlet Witch behind us.

"All Systems check", Sunspot murmured. He turned to me. "Are you ready?" He asked, reaching out and touching my shoulder. I gave him a smile; he was one of my closest friends.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Roberto." I said, checking the buttons again. "You just worry about getting back to Rahne". I watched his cheeks glow and grinned in a moment that shadowed a time before all of this started. A Better Time. 

"Let's Rock and Roll!" I cried in a brave voice, boosting the engines. I looked back to give them courage. 

I tried not to look beyond the faces of my friends, but I failed, seeing that inside, each was as scared as I was. I looked forward again, trying not to think that I was delivering them to their deaths.


	5. Ours

I hovered next to the pyramid in Mexico, unsure of where to set down. 

"Here is good", Angel told me. "Just far enough away." 

I set the Jet down with a flick of my fingers. The radio cackled, and Mr.McCoy's voice drifted through it. "Remember, that Apocalypse boosted their mutant powers. They're much stronger. We're in for the fight of our lives." The radio died again. I wanted to shake it, bang on it, anything to get it to work again. I needed to hear someone else's voice. I needed it to tell me what to do. Where to go. What to say.

"Ready?" I asked my team. I glanced around. Sunspot was breathing deeply and Angel had his eyes closed. The Scarlet Witch looked mad. I waited for everyone to respond. I got nods slowly, one at a time.

I slowly walked over to the door and pressed the red button. The ramp sprang down and the door opened slowly. 

Magneto was mercilessly beating the "sentinels" above a glowing pyramid. I suddenly felt the fear lift off of me. I knew where I belonged, now. Despair and hopelessness let me out of their grip. I knew what I had to do. I had to save my people, my race.

I surveyed the site, wind blowing around me. Mr. McCoy was right. It was going to be one hell of a fight.

But it was going to be our fight.


	6. Being of Shadow

Hey guys…did you like it? If you did, please review! LOL. I have a couple of notes though…

1) AHHH! I forgot Havoc! I feel so bad! I love that guy too…I'm sorry to any Alex fans out there. Thank you to _Niteflite_ for pointing it out to me! I knew I forgot someone! Dang! I feel all unprofessional now. Not that I was a professional in the first place…

2) I want to thank everyone who reviewed. This included: _"Ophelia", _Personage_, __Sunset Rose, __"Shadow kitty", and __Niteflite. Your reviews really touched and inspired me. _

3) I would especially like to thank _Snitter_ in Rivendall_. It was your encouraging reviews that truly kept me going and made me feel confident about my story. Thank you so much for your sweet words!_

4) Hey guys! Ascension II shows on Saturday! Want me to write that story from Kitty's point of view? Review, please, and tell me what you think that I should do. Remember, please review before Saturday!

Thank you all, everyone. You have really kept me going, and helped me realize writing as my new hobby. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, once again.

A shadow,

Light,

Dark.

Barely brushing.

But touching

Forever 

And think of me…

ShadowChik

Hugs, Hugs, Hugs!


	7. Phasing through Time

The radio cackled again. I looked at it, taking my eyes away from the horrific scene. Logan's voice drifted through it. 

"This is it team. Everything you've learned about yourself, about your powers comes into play now. We are the world's last chance. Their last hope. Their BEST hope. Let's make it count." The radio quieted and I could hear the sparks of electricity popping around us.

This was it. Our last stand. I shivered, and thought about the consequences of not winning. The destruction of the world and innocent lives. Havok cleared his throat and I came back to the present.

I felt four pairs of eyes on me. Four pairs of petrified eyes looked to me for guidance. Leadership. I lifted my face to the sun and put on a brave face.

"Well, you heard Logan!" I started, trying to smile, but gaining only a grimace. "This is it". I looked to each of them in turn.

"Good luck." I stated, trying to etch each of their faces in my memory forever. I couldn't help but feel that this was the last time I would ever see them.

Roberto held his arms out. "Kitty! Don't act like you haven't known us for nearly forever!" 

"Aw…Hell..." I muttered before being pulled into his embrace. I couldn't breathe, and that was one of the first clues that I got. He was as afraid as me.

 I grabbed Havok's sleeve, and yanked him in. He in turn grasped the Scarlet Witch, until we were one big, group hug.

"Ok.", I said, pulling away. "Time to go!"

I looked around. Somehow, knowing that four of my friends had my back made me a heck of a lot more confident.

"Let's bring him down!" I screamed, before I phased through the floor of the jet with Sunspot.

The phasing turned me icy cold, and I hoped that that wasn't how the future was going to be.


	8. I Knew

I landed on my feet, the Scarlet Witch and Sunspot beside me. An astonished look held her face.

"Father", she murmured. Stepping forward.

"Father! It's me! Think about what you're doing", she called to him, pleading.

He appeared to have responded. He looked to her, eyes and face both blank. The "sentinel" beside him started to shake. Alarm bells started to ring in my mind, and I realized what was happening.

I broke into a full-out sprint, my feet pounding on the hard ground. I saw the head of the "sentinel" flying toward the Scarlet Witch. I dove into the ground, hoping I wasn't too late.

The Scarlet Witch cringed and put her hands over her head, a last chance at protection. I knew it wouldn't work. It was up to me. 

 I lunged toward her and grabbed her legs, allowing her to acquire my power. Giving it to her as the flying metal death-wish crashed on top of us both.

She looked down and saw me. I scrambled out of the ground as fast as I could. I had to warn her. 

"Wanda! You have to forget he is your father, or we won't win. AND WE HAVE TO WIN!" I screamed in her face, trying to have her understand the position we were in. I wanted to shake her, make her comprehend that without her, out team was lost.

Her face screwed up in an unreadable emotion. I started to let go of her, but a force crashed into me before I could phase. I have never been hit with anything so hard, it took my breath away. 

I flew into a boulder, cracking my head against it. "Kitty!" I heard the Scarlet Witch cry. But after that, I couldn't hear. Everything went in slow motion, darkening, and lightening like some old movie.

I felt her try to rouse me, but I couldn't breathe. I saw everything, but couldn't react.

She rose, facing Magneto. I was helpless.

I thought about everyone. The Scarlet Witch, an unknown friend. Roberto, too young to die. Everything spun. I had to help. We were the world's last hope.

I had strength suddenly, just knowing that. I tired to rise, sitting up slowly. But I was suddenly blinded by a light. The top of the pyramid had started glowing, rising above us, it's light rivaling that of the sun.

It rose higher and higher. My world was crashing down on me.  "Oh, no!" I whispered in a rough voice, somehow multiplied by the terror. "What's happening?"

But I knew what was happening.

The End.


	9. Everything As I Knew It

"Kitty!" Havok ran to me. "Come on!" He extended a hand. He looked so much older than he was. He didn't deserve this. But it was too late. Nothing could stop him now.

I grabbed hold of his hand and he yanked me up. I staggered, but he put a steadying arm on my shoulder. 

My communicator beeped. "The tops are gone", I let everyone know. Inspiration hit.

"Go for the bases", I cried into it, then I pulled Havok around and pointed to the pyramid. 

The stone that had lasted ages was going to fall to teenagers, I thought manically. 

Havok caught it. "Let's go!" he sounded brave. He took my hand and pulled me closer to the battle. The Scarlet Witch was trying to hit her father, and Sunspot was furiously trying to defeat the resurrected "Sentinels".

"Wait!" I pulled on his hand, phasing partway through the ground. "I have a better idea!"

Havok looked at me like I was insane, but gave in quickly. I took a breath and submerged into the ground, Havok following.

I judged the distance and pulled my head above ground. I grinned. Perfect.

I grabbed Havok's shoulders and pulled him up with me. 

"That is screwed up", I heard him mutter under his breath.

I didn't have time to say anything back to him. Magneto's back was turned. 

 I jerked him the rest of the way up. "Now!" I cried to him. Raw power burned between his hands. He concentrated it on the ancient barrier. I watched as the walls fell, ready to make a quick escape.

But it was too late. Magneto turned, eyes glowing. He flung a piece of a "sentinel" at us. Before I could phase, Havok was thrown out of grip.

"Alex!" I screamed, watching him land on the hard ground. It should have been me. I should have taken the fall. I glared at Magneto, ready to phase, but was bombarded with metal. Destroyed "Sentinals" and the jet. I went down again, and saw everything as I knew it, end.


	10. Darkness

My vision was going in and out of focus. I couldn't bring myself back, as much as I tried.  

Havok struggled to get up. I watched his arms tremble as he attempted to bring himself up again. Trying to be brave, to be older than his 16 years. It wasn't his responsibility, but he wouldn't watch the world crumble, I knew this much. He slumped to the ground. Hope abandoned.

Angel fell from the sky. Drifting lazily from space. Looking more heavenly than he ever had before. He fell into a heap on the ground. His wings collapsed beneath him. He didn't look like he was from this earth.

I saw Sunspot, my good friend; fall to a piece of flying "sentinel". He flew through it before falling to the ground. His inhuman glow vanished, and he once more became Roberto. The Roberto that I could always laugh with and tease. The perfectionist Roberto that had been so heart-broken when Rhane had left. Just…Roberto.

I lost it as I watched this happen. I was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. One side, life before. The other, a dark abyss, waiting to claim me. For me to give in. I rested my cheek on my arm, trying to get the energy to get back up. To go help fight.

I then realized… That I was only 17 years old. I couldn't deal with this. 

I shouldn't have to deal with this.

And then I fell, darkness claiming me.


	11. Real and Unreal Savior

***I whirled, round and round in my subconscious, waiting to touch bottom. I fell into a familiar room, not feeling any pain when I landed. I knew I had to get up, and I did.

Suddenly, the room was filled with people. With everyone I had ever known. My parents, my friends, my teachers…their essence surrounded me.

On eather side, Rouge and Nightcrawler appeared.

"Kitty", Rouge said to me, reaching out and touching my shoulder. "You can win! Get back up…fight!"

My unconscious self shook her head, ponytail shaking. "It's over", she said gloomily. "Everything".

Nightcrawler spun me around to face him. He held up a blue, furry, three fingered hand. 

Trembling lightly, "I" met his hand with my hand.

"Look Kitty", He gestured his free hand. "Ve are different", "I" nodded, looking at our hands. We seemed worlds apart. "But…Ve are zhe same. Ve fight for zhe same reason, for zhe same people. Ve pozzes different gifts, but ve vork side by side. Ve are the same. You see?". "I" nodded again.

I heard a disembodied voice. "Take it down, Avalanche!", then the floor started to tremble. I looked about, frightened. Everyone was falling into the cracks in the floor that had started to grow. "I" looked back to my best friends. 

"Go", Rouge whispered, before falling into the abyss.

"And vin", Kurt finished, clasping "my" hand in his. "Remember", his voice echoed in the odd room, as he, too, was swallowed into the mouth of a laughing fate. ***

The ground shook around me. I knew that it wasn't a dream. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking furiously. I looked up. Someone was standing over me and the ground really was trembling.

My eyes focused, and recognized. I gasped. They had come.


	12. Melting Shadows

Birds around me chirped, and The Scarlet Witch and Pietro stood over their father. It was over. I grinned. I looked back up.

Lance stood over me, surveying the scene. He looked down at me and smiled. I shook my head and stood up, head throbbing. I looked about the ruined landscape. 

"So…", I asked Lance. "What made you decide to come?".

Lance wouldn't look me directly in the eyes. "I guess that I felt guilty about everything. I'm so sorry, Kitty. You have no idea".

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah…", I told him, pulling his arm and bringing him closer. "I think that I do have an idea."

Alex and Roberto, standing behind us, successful at being as immature as they could possibly be, were making gagging noises. They saw the stricken look on Lance's face, and quieted down.

Lance started to laugh. A brave laugh that could only be described as heart-warming. He put his arm around me, while continuing to chuckle, and started walking.

I turned around to Roberto, who held a grin on his face so big that I couldn't believe. He waved to me, as both he and Alex tromped after us. I threw them both a wink… And suddenly knew that it would all be okay.


	13. We Were

The next day, the sun was shining, and we joined back together. The whole team. We sat outside, reveling in the warmth of a day that we didn't think would ever come. The day that we triumphed over evil.

Everyone who had left before, joined us. I could never match the joy on Rahne's face as she saw Roberto waiting at the end of the driveway for a hug. She couldn't stop sobbing and apologizing that she had missed all of the action. Roberto kept looking at her and blinking. As if he thought that she was just a vision. And how Rahne stuck by to pull him out of the tree that Kurt had ported him to.

I will always remember Jubilee sneaking up on Bobby and sparking him with fireworks while everyone watched. He was then twirling her around in his arms, shirt torn and burnt in the back and pride forgotten. Then them both overturning a bucket of ice water on Logan's head. Jubilee laughed so hard, that she fell. Bobby caught her, though. I will never forget how when he told her he missed her more than she would ever know, her face lit up. And none of us will forget that then, he leaned down and kissed her.

I watched as Amara helped a limping and hurt Ray to a chair and asked if he was alright. He snorted and said that nothing could hurt him. Amara stood up and whacked him on the head, then walked away. But everyone saw that they were smiling.

Jean and Scott disappeared for a while, but where they went was no mystery. Amara had trouble breathing through her laughter, and Ray shook his head, grinning. But I saw as he snuck glances at her throughout the afternoon.

Rouge smiled as Remy told a joke, and Pietro hugged Wanda. Before Scott disappeared, Lance shook his hand, and they shared a boyish grin.

Tabitha tried to show Jamie how to dance, but was stolen by Alex, who twirled her around the clean, green, grass. A disgruntled Jamie walked away, only to be intercepted by Storm, who taught him how to make a kite.

Sam and Evan had an extremely civil conversation in which they tried to decide which was better, dirt-biking or skateboarding. Well…it was civil until they started the whole talking thing. Then they started throwing punches. Both Kurt and I were recruited to break them up.

Logan showed Toad how to fight, and Toad tripped him. Beast told him that he should really spend more time in the danger room. Logan just growled.

I watched all of this go by. I talked to many people that I thought that I'd never see again, and couldn't stop smiling.

At some part during the day, Kurt came up to me. "Quite a party, huh?" He asked, Watching Alex dip Tabitha. 

"Quite", I couldn't help but laugh as Ray stuttered, talking to Amara.

Kurt laughed with me. My best friend. I was afraid that I'd never see him again. He flexed his arms. "We saved the world, Kitty!", as if he just realized this. And he started dancing.

I put a hand on his shoulder. He stilled and met my eyes. "You saved me", I told him softly. He cocked his head and looked at me strangely. 

I chuckled and pointed to the tree behind him. Jamie couldn't reach high enough to get to his kite. He was attempting to reach a branch to swing himself up. "You're needed". 

Kurt looked away from me. "Oh…right", he said. **bamf**

But he did save me. More than he will ever know.

At one point, The Professor called us together. He wanted to talk to us. I sensed the seriousness and quieted.

"While in Apocalypse's mind, I glimpsed the future…" And so this started his speech. 

Many times, I teared up. Realizing that this was all true. I was lost in a world of memories as he spoke. His words calming me and making me restless at the same time.

"If you are ever in danger", the professor ended. "Or are in trouble, the X-men will always be there." 

I looked around me, and couldn't help but smile. Amara was crying into Ray's shoulder and Ray was looking both overwhelmed, and extremely pleased. Tabitha looked the most serious I had ever seen her. Kurt, who stood in back of me, rested a hand on my shoulder.

I saw all of this happen, and I thought about how far we had come from before. I had seen the world grow and my friends close to death. I had seen relationships form…and break. I had seen all I need to see to know the future.

 I couldn't help but grin my biggest grin yet. I wasn't so innocent anymore, but I still knew…

If you even needed help, or were in danger, the X-Men would always be there.

You just had to believe.

And I did.

And so we were.


End file.
